Football club’s ‘pitch-in’ plea

A football club has issued a plea for people to help raise thousands of pounds for a new pitch.

Earlier this year Stanton Ilkeston FC was promised a funding boost of £450,000 that would revolutionise its home for the good of the whole community.

The money is from Derbyshire FA, but came with a catch, as the club have to raise a further £60,000 towards the massive revamp that would give them a state-of-the-art base with new pitches, changing rooms and clubhouse.

The ground is used by 18 junior teams with about 400 children on the books.

Steve Lowe, who is on the club’s executive committee, said: “We need to raise £60,000 in total, it’s a tall order.

“ Over the summer we said to the footballers ‘we want you to help us out by washing cars, etc’. Half the team got involved and raised £400 - if they all did that we would raise £10,000.

“We are hoping to progress with getting the funding and getting companies involved. We want to get as many people involved as possible.”

“We are doing what we can to raise as much as we can but we need more people to get involved.”

The club have the land where they currently play and where the facilities will be built, at the back of Ron Brooks Toyota on Derby Road, on a 25-year lease.

The proposed project is subject to council approval.

Steve said the application was meant to be going in next March. Anyone who wants to get involved can call him on 0115 8773896.